English in Early Childhood: Language Learning and Development from FutureLearn

How children learn Learning through play How to talk to young children Learning: English and everything Positive relationships and enabling environments Watching children learn Most FutureLearn courses run multiple times. Every run of a course has a set start date but you can join it and work through it after it starts. Find out more This course will be of interest to you if you are: a parent of young children who wishes to support their child learning an additional language; an English teacher or an early childhood practitioner; or someone who is interested in the area of child development and language acquisition. If English is not your first language please be reassured that this course is suitable for those who have learnt English to around intermediate level (approximately B1 on the CEFR). The principles of learning an additional language during early childhood apply to all languages, so if you are a parent, teacher or practitioner interested in teaching languages other than English, you will find plenty of relevant methods in the course. You can use the hashtag #FLEarlyChildhood to talk about this course on social media.

Topics Covered

Early childhood development
Children and language acquisition
The importance of play
Creating the right environment for play
Developing language through play
Encouraging emotional development
Developing language through interactions
Developing the whole child
Learning English in context
Guiding the learning experience
Helping children feel safe and happy
The importance of knowing the child well
Every child is unique
Observation
Assessment in the early years
Planning: building on what children can do

Reviews summary

Early childhood english language learning guide

According to learners, this course provides a practical and insightful foundation for understanding how young children learn English. Many highlight the clarity of the content and the usefulness of the strategies presented for supporting language development through play and interaction. The course is frequently described as highly relevant for both parents and early childhood practitioners. Some note its value as a good starting point, though a few mention desiring more depth on certain topics.

Provides a solid starting point.

"This course is a great introduction to the topic of early language acquisition."

"It gives you a solid foundation but is not an exhaustive deep dive into every aspect."

"An excellent starting point for anyone new to teaching English to young learners."

Valuable for teachers and parents.

"Highly relevant for my work as an early childhood teacher."

"As a parent, I found this course incredibly useful for understanding my child's development."

"Perfect for anyone working with young children learning an additional language."

Explanations are easy to understand.

"The content was very clear and easy to follow, even complex ideas were explained simply."

"Lectures were concise and the readings supported the concepts well."

"Everything was explained in a way that was easy to grasp, making the learning process smooth."

Offers actionable ideas for supporting children.

"Provides practical ideas and strategies that can be immediately implemented, which was incredibly helpful."

"I learned many concrete ways to support my child's English learning at home."

"The course gave me practical tools for helping children learn language through play."

"Really good strategies for language learning, highly actionable for teachers."

Could explore topics more deeply.

"While very good, I wish some topics were explored in more detail for intermediate learners."

"Could benefit from more advanced insights or case studies."

"Felt like a strong overview, but perhaps not enough depth for experienced practitioners."

Career center

Learners who complete English in Early Childhood: Language Learning and Development will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers: